Wideband Planar Log-Periodic Antenna

Mohammad M. Tajdini* and Mahmoud Shahabadi

Electrical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Street, Tehran P.O. Box1365-8639,
Iran

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, North Kargar Avenue, Tehran P.O. Box
14395/515, Iran
shahaba
t.a. ir

Abstract: A compact planar wideband microstrip antenna is introduced. The antenna is a log-periodic antenna with 7
dipole elements. The antenna is designed to function in the frequency range of 500 to 700 MHz. It has a dimension of
268 mm by 145 mm by 3 mm. The matching is better than -10 dB in the working bandwidth. The proposed antenna
generates linear polarization. Its maximum gain is 4.5 dB at the central frequency. It provides a low-cost alternative to
the conventional Yagi-Uda TV antennas.
Introduction

The major weakness of a microstrip patch antenna is its narrow bandwidth characteristic. There are a great number of
articles in the open literature covering a very broad range of solutions that have been proposed so far for increasing
antenna bandwidth [1]. The impedance bandwidth of microstrip patch antennas is usually much smaller than its pattern
bandwidth [3], [4]. The discussion on bandwidth enhancement techniques will therefore focus on input impedance rather
than radiation patterns.
The various bandwidth enhancement techniques can be classified into two categories: the use of multiple resonances
and the impedance matching [2], [5]. In this design, we consider a combination of the impedance matching and the use
of multiple resonances by utilizing a log-periodic antenna. The seeming simplicity of the log-periodic antenna belies the
remarkable features of the design [7]. It uses a common transmission line to alternately feed a group of X/4 dipoles
which are strung together [12]. These antennas together display excellent radiation qualities over a wide frequency
range as well as relatively uniform input impedances and good VSWR characteristics.
Looking at the physical layout of a log-periodic antenna, one would see that it is comprised of multiple elements
working together to provide a wide bandwidth of usable frequencies [8]. While the log-periodic design has been around
since the late 1950's, it is now been discovered to be at the cutting edge of antenna development [6], [8].
The active (radiating or receiving radiation) portion of the antenna effectively shifts with frequency as one stage
becomes more resonant than the next. The lowest operating frequency is determined by the longest element and the
highest operating frequency is set by the shortest element [10]. As the frequency of the transmission (or reception)
increases, the active region of the antenna shifts forward to the shorter k/4 dipole elements or vice versa as the
frequency decreases [11]. Obviously, the secret for proper operation must lie in the length and spacing of the antenna
elements. These and other factors must be carefully chosen to cover the desired frequency range for the antenna's
applications [11].
The number of dipole elements of our design is enough to cover all the bandwidth of the antenna. On the other hand, the
number of dipole elements is not too high to make it expensive. So it can be used widely by people. This small logperiodic antenna is ideal for getting the maximum performance out of any UHF wireless system. Its directional
properties compress the signal into a powerful beam that is 2.5 times more powerful in the desired direction. It is the
ideal antenna for scanners, wireless LANs and other wireless devices. Its acceptable directional properties make it
exceptionally well suited for point-to-point links.
Also the patch antenna designs introduced before were on thick substrates which make it difficult to integrate on
miniaturized sensors. However, the small size of this antenna, in addition to wide bandwidth, makes it ideal for feeding
reflector antennas, such as the easily constructed corner reflectors or grids.
The main application of this antenna is to be a new generation of TV and satellite antennas with the linear polarization.
Because of less volume and weight of the antenna due to integrity, this antenna can be considered as a good replacement
for the regular big TV and satellite antennas.
Wireless local area network (WLAN) applications are proliferating very rapidly to replace short distance confined
communication links between devices, sensors, and computers [7], [9]. Another main application of this antenna is in
WLAN. To establish a direct line-of-sight data communication link between a sensor and the central station, we propose

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wideband microstrip patch antenna design. Wideband operation of the antenna will allow various sensors operating at
specific closely spaced frequency bands to utilize the same radiating structure. The fact that the thickness of this antenna
is 3 mm makes it absolutely suitable for miniaturized sensors [5].
The use of the linear polarization characteristic of the proposed antenna will be studied in the context of practical
WLAN communications. Effort is also to widen the axial ratio bandwidth and make it comparable to the impedance
bandwidth. The minimum difference between B-co and B-cross is indeed important in designing of antennas. It should
be at least more than 20 dB. We successfully achieved to more than this difference.
a

Antenna Design

This antenna is a planar log-periodic antenna. We decided to design the antenna with 7 dipole elements. The substrate of
this antenna is made of FR-4. Because of less consumption of FR-4, this construction leads us to lower prices. It should
be mentioned that FR-4 is a dielectric substance with F r =4.3 and loss tangent =0.02. The length of dipole elements of
this antenna is from 160 mm to 268 mm. The ratio of every dipole to its next is 1.093. This antenna is loaded by a 28
mm* 16 mm rectangular patch for achieving better matching.
A differential port which is attached to a coaxial cable enters in the rectangular patch, 12 mm from the end of it. The
characteristic impedance of this cable is 50 Q. However, it was observed that in order to achieve proper impedance
bandwidth, dipoles' positions and dimensions need to be adjusted accordingly. This study takes advantage of the fact
that, for antennas operating at higher frequencies, smaller absolute displacements will result in significant percentage
changes in the antenna bandwidth. Because the use of metal components can degrade the antenna's performance,
emphasis was placed on synergy in the design process.
Simulations were conducted in order to obtain swept frequency response extending from 500 to 700 MHz. The swept
response gave us the Si I referred to a 50 Q2 transmission line. After that, radiation pattern was computed. The type of
optimization which we utilized is manual. The construction of the antenna and the point of connection of the port have
been illustrated in Fig. 1I.The dipoles are printed one up, one down respectively. The bolded parts are the printed
metallization on FR-4. The dashed parts are printed behind FR-4.

266~~~~~~~~~~~W

224

Figure 1: The construction of the antenna

Simulation Results

The first purpose of this antenna is to be a wideband antenna, with the frequency range of 500 to 700 MHz. We must fix
Pf thei- workingc bandwidcth. Compute-d inpu t impe-danceithei,I SI paramei-ter lonwe-r than -1I0 dB' at alImos,t all frequencies
onr
data for the proposed antenna have been plotted in the Smith chart and ISI,1 parameter diagram. These results have
been given in Fig. 2 & 3.
~

332

Si1

SIIJMHz X

700 MHz
feq (50ODlMI to 700it1)

Figure 2: The

S1,

parameter of the antenna in the Smith chart

Sil
10

n 20

-30

40_
-50500

550

600

650

700

Frequency

Figure 3: The S11 parameter diagram of the antenna

The second purpose of this antenna is to provide the acceptable gain all over the bandwidth. The maximum gain of this
antenna is 4.5 dB in the central frequency of the bandwidth, 600MHz, in direction of the maximum radiation (-90).
This direction is exactly the direction of the feed line. This gain is almost constant all over the bandwidth. The gain of
the antenna has been illustrated in Fig. 4.
1-

2~4

-10

2200

._1 -X

06

-I

1 50

-100

-50

50

eti[deg]

100

150

200

Figure 4: The gain diagram of the antenna

The third purpose of this antenna is to provide the axial ratio under I dB to supply the pure linear polarization which is
one of the most important purposes of the antenna. The axial ratio diagram of the antenna has been shown in Fig. 5.
012 Axial Ratio

n1e0
-20. -1010-0

10

15 20

......................

Figure~

333

ntenn

Finally, we must keep the minimum difference between E-co and E-cross at least 20 dB. The minimum difference
between E-co and E-cross of this antenna is more than 35 dB. The difference between E-co and E-cross of the antenna
has been given in Fig. 6.
E_cross

E_co

10

20

30

-4
-60
-200 -150 -100 -50

50 100 150 200

THETA

Figure 6: The difference between E-co and E-cross of the antenna

Conclusions
A wideband planar log-periodic antenna, with small thickness has been discussed. The S1I I parameter is lower than -10
dB in the working bandwidth, i.e., the frequency range of 500 to 700 MHz. This antenna can provide a gain of 4.5 dB in
the direction of the maximum radiation. This direction coincides with the direction of the feed line. The gain is constant
all over the bandwidth. This antenna can also provide the axial ratio under 1 dB to supply pure linear polarization which
is one of its most important features. The minimum difference between E-co and E-cross of this antenna is more than 35

dB.

References

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IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory & Techniques, vol.36, no. 1, pp. 314-323, 1998.

[6] J.R. James and P.S. Hall, Handbook ofMicrostrip Antennas, Peter Peregrinus, Stevenage, 1989.
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Propagation, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 25-37, 1981.

[10] S. Drabowitch, A. Papiernik, H. Griffiths, J. Encinas and B. L. Smith, Modern Antennas, Chapman & Hall,
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[11] F. Yang, X. X. Zhang, X. Ye, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, "Wide-Band EShaped Patch Antennas for Wireless
Communications," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 49, no. 7, pp. 1094- 1100, July 2001.
[12] K. L. Wong and W. H. Hsu, "A Broad-Band Rectangular Patch Antenna with a Pair of Wide Slits," IEEE Trans.
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